Wiggins wins Algarve time trial

Bradley Wiggins (Sky) confirmed his solid early-season form by winning the final time trial of the Tour of the Algarve in Portugal on Sunday.

Wiggins beat his time trial nemesis and current World Champion Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) by just under a second on the 25.8km course to clinch the stage victory – his first win in his first race of the season.

Wiggins’ Sky team-mate Richie Porte placed third on the stage, 13 seconds behind the Brit, to secure the overall race victory. Like Wiggins, the Tour of the Algarve was Porte’s first race of 2012. The Australian rose to the top of the general classification on Friday’s tough mountain stage.

Martin finished in second place overall, 37 seconds behind Porte, with Wiggins in third spot at 44 seconds.

Sky directeur sportif Sean Yates was evidently pleased with the outcome in the Algarve: “You couldn’t have asked for more to be honest,” he said. “We’ve dominated the race. The boys rode fantastic and it is a massive display from the team. It is only early in the season but we’ve beaten some really strong riders here.

“The plan coming into the race was to build on our form. But our form was so good here anyway with the quality athletes we have here we thought we might as well go for the win!”

Wiggins is aiming for the overall classificaton of the 2012 Tour de France, and will also be looking for gold in the Olympic Games time trial event on August 1.